Goldbeak Isle
by Wandergirl108
Summary: After the events of Fate's Tapestry, Mint was left trapped with Valen, and there's only one place left where she can be brought back: A remote island called Goldbeak Isle - a magical place born from the mind of an 11-year-old, mysterious and dangerous. Note that this fic will NOT be my best work, not by a long shot; it's just a tribute to an idea I had when I was 11 years old.
1. Chapter 1

The moon shone bright in a clear, indigo sky spangled with stars. Rue and Ruenis knelt at the base of the stone on which Ruecian's mask was mounted, silent and pensive. On either side of the memorial, there was a fist-sized rock from the center of the ruins of Ephlesia City - mementos of their journey there.

_Five years._ Rue could hardly believe it had been so long since he'd last seen Mint, in her true form as Mintazene, daughter of Valen - and six years since he'd last seen his brother Ruecian, fading back into the dew of the universe from which he'd been born, after sacrificing himself to save Rue from Valen.

It always came back to Valen.

"I've missed you, brother," he said to Ruenis at last, breaking the stillness.

"And I you," Ruenis replied.

Rue had left Claire's home to take up residence in Carona with Elena. Klaus and Mira had mixed feelings about their little girl finally dating, but they were glad that at least it was Rue. Ruenis, meanwhile, had spent the time getting close to Claire. Rue had come back that morning to pay homage to the past, as he did every year, and had this year come home to a married couple. Ruenis and Claire were happy together, and Rue supposed that was what was most important, though he was trying to take things much more slowly with Elena.

Rue sighed. "I can't believe it's been five years, and not so much as a trace of Valen's come anywhere near us," he said.

Ruenis didn't reply. For a moment, Rue thought his brother was simply pondering his words, but when he glanced over at him, he saw that Ruenis had his hand to his Dewstone, his eyes closed, apparently concentrating on something.

"Ruenis?" Rue asked, alarmed.

Ruenis opened his eyes and looked at Rue. "Sorry," he said, "I was just checking."

"Checking what?" Rue asked.

Ruenis blinked. "Checking in on our brothers," he said. "Many have awakened and tried to bring Valen back, but none of the other access points seem to be working."

Rue's eyes widened, and he jumped to his feet. "_What_?!" he exclaimed. "Who…? How did you…? When? _Why_?"

Ruenis stood as well. "We share a hive mind," he told his brother; "we are all connected through our Dewstones, which were once a single pane of the Dewprism." He gestured at the memorial they'd been kneeling in front of. "How did you think Ruecian found you?"

"I never thought about it," Rue admitted. "But what do you mean about…?"

"Valen left many access points to his dimension, but he had so very little time, and he had to create us, too," Ruenis told Rue. "His power was great, but not infinite. The lake ruins by Carona and the desert ruins of Ephlesia City appear to be the only ones that actually worked - and the one at Ephlesia was an accident."

"But you just let other dolls try to use the other ones?" Rue asked, aghast.

Ruenis shrugged. "I admit I didn't think of it much…I've been more focused on Claire. Besides, with Mintazene now imprisoned alongside Valen, judging from her actions in Ephlesia, the world is safe either way."

The tension left Rue's body, and he looked at the ground. "I guess you're right," he said. He thought a moment, biting the tip of his tongue in thought, very conscious of the smaller rocks of the memorial. Finally, he admitted, "I wish Mint didn't have to be in there with him."

Ruenis tilted his head. "It was her choice," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's my fault!" Rue blurted out, and suddenly, he couldn't hold it in anymore. "If I'd just gone running back when you told me about the place-!"

"If you'd gone running back with the false knowledge I gave you when you first came to me, things would probably have gone a lot worse," Ruenis said calmly. "It's more my fault than yours, though in the end, I don't think the final result was too terrible."

"Mint wanted my help finding a [relic]," Rue went on, "and I owed her after she helped me save Claire! And what did she end up getting? Trapped in a parallel dimension!"

"Why have you not said anything about this before now?" Ruenis asked.

Rue shook his head. "I don't know," he said, wrestling his emotions back under control. "I just wish…I wish I could get her out. I owe her that much."

There was silence for a moment. Then, Ruenis said, "There _is_ one last access point, on Goldbeak Isle. But it's not easy to reach - some have already tried and failed."

Rue sighed. "No," he said, "I couldn't leave Elena, especially not if it's dangerous. And I can't ask you to go and leave Claire."

Ruenis nodded. "Then there's no sense in wishing." He took one last look at Ruecian's memorial, then held out his hand. "Come, brother," he said, "let's go home so we can have dinner."

Rue sighed again, but conceded.

~o~

Rue's visit to Claire's cabin only took a couple of days, as per the usual - he missed Claire, but she seemed happy and healthy, so he didn't worry about her too much. When he returned to Carona, Elena was waiting for him at the dock, like she always was.

He smiled as he stepped off the boat. "Hey!" he greeted her, hugging her warmly.

"Hi, Rue!" she sang, hugging him back. "How was home?"

"Peaceful," he answered. He pulled back to look into her dark eyes and added, "But I missed you."

"I missed you too," she smiled. She was still a childishly sweet girl, and Rue secretly dreaded the day that changed - and it _would_ change, there was no avoiding it. But he'd protect her from the world as long as possible. She'd managed to endure some pretty serious events, but she couldn't stay a child forever…

Elena startled Rue from his brief reverie by grabbing his hand and dragging him up the ramp into town. "Come see what Mel did!" she gushed. "Oh my gosh, you're not gonna believe what she managed to do! It's so exciting!"

"What?" Rue asked, no longer being dragged but running after her, curious now.

"Come see! Come see!" she squeaked, bouncing through the gate.

Rue followed.

He saw.

And blinked.

And stared.

"…Prima?"

"Hi, Rue!" Prima Doll said cheerfully. "We missed you!"

"Uh…" Rue was at a loss for words.

The Prima Doll had been created by Grand Magician Elroy to break the seal on the lake ruins and release Valen and the Dewprism. In light of past events, it was likely that Elroy had made the key a doll because it was the Dolls of Valen who had the power to break the seal - the Prima Doll was a less-powerful imitation of the Dolls of Valen. Less powerful, and less detailed - Elroy hadn't been an Aeon at all, let alone the most powerful one to ever walk the earth, so he was very limited with the magic he could pack into a single entity, and had focused all of it on making the Prima Doll a viable key. No thought had been put into what would become of the Prima Doll after the seal had been broken; his sapience was really remarkable, all things considered, but of course, his body was the static one of a doll - he could never grow up.

At least, that was what everyone had thought. But now, standing in front of Rue, was a noticeably physically older Prima Doll. He still looked like a child, but an older child than before - almost as old as Elena had been when Rue first met her, maybe.

Elena giggled, a broad grin splitting her face from ear to ear, not at all covered by the hands she clasped in front of her mouth; she was bouncing with excitement. Rue turned to her. "You said Mel…?"

"Oh, Wylaf did something too," Elena said. "Something about a weak old [relic]." She giggled again, too thrilled for words.

Prima smiled too, then raised his right hand, showing off a gold bangle with an intricate pattern clasped around his wrist. "It's not a Dewstone, but it's compatible with my system, thanks to a little tinkering from Mel," he said happily.

"I…wow." Rue gave himself a little shake and managed a smile. "That's wonderful, Prima."

"I know!" Prima gave a delighted twirl. "I wish Mint could see this!"

The words sent a little prickle of guilt piercing through Rue's heart, but he kept it to himself and gave the amused smile he knew was expected of him. "She'd probably have a heart attack," he agreed. Mint and Prima had gotten along like oil and water.

Klaus and Mira were equally thrilled that their new son could grow up like their daughter. What exactly this would mean during the touchier times of growth remained to be seen, but they were just excited that he'd be able to try it. Other than that, though, nothing had really changed while Rue had been away, as it usually didn't. When everyone caught up, Rue didn't mention his brief conversation with his brother regarding trans-dimensional access points, but in the days and weeks that followed, as things went back to pleasant normalcy (Prima's maturation notwithstanding), he found he couldn't get it off his mind. If there was a way, _one_ way, to get Mint back…

"Rue?"

Rue dragged himself out of his musings for the third time that day. Shaking his head slightly, he turned to Elena. They were sitting together in his room, just enjoying each other's company, or they had been…

"You've been so quiet since you came home," Elena said, a worried look in her dark eyes. "I mean, more quiet than usual. Did something happen? Is something bothering you?" She paused for a split second. "Is it Claire? Are you upset about her and Ruenis getting married?"

"What? No!" Rue said quickly. "No, no, I'm happy for both of them."

"Then what's wrong?" Elena asked. "_Something's_ wrong, I know it is."

Elena was still the innocent, airheaded girl Rue had met so many years ago, but sometimes, she proved that she wasn't quite as airheaded as she might sometimes seem.

Rue sighed. "I just…well…Do you miss Mint?" he asked her.

Elena saddened. "Yes," she said. "She was a great friend. We had a lot of fun."

Rue blinked. "She was _mean_," he said, confused.

"No she wasn't," Elena said. "At least, I didn't think so. She really wanted the [relic], but she wasn't _bad_."

Rue couldn't help but smile. "Elena," he said fondly, "don't ever change."

Elena blinked. "Why would I change?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Rue just shook his head, his smile widening.

Elena blinked again, then sighed. "Yeah, I miss Mint," she said. "I guess what I miss most is that we never really got to know her. I never even got to _see_ her."

It was Rue's turn to blink. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, she wasn't who we thought she was, right?" Elena said. "She's an Aeon…she didn't know she wasn't human, but she wasn't. But now she's gone, and no one will ever know who she really was - not even her."

Again, Elena's strange, unexpected insightfulness caught Rue off-guard, and this time, it broke his heart. She was right. She was _very_ right. Mint had never really had a chance to live, to _be_ - the saucy brat he'd known hadn't been the real Mint, but even she hadn't known it until mere minutes before she'd…

He sighed heavily. "Ruenis says there's only one way to unlock Valen's dimension left that might work," he told Elena, "and that it's really difficult to get to. I wish I could go and free Mint."

"Why can't you?" Elena asked.

"Because I won't ask Ruenis to leave Claire, and…I won't leave you," Rue told Elena.

"I could go with you, though," Elena said brightly.

"No," Rue said firmly. "It's too dangerous."

"I'll be fine," Elena protested. "Remember when we went through the Ghost Temple together? I mean…I know I got in your way sometimes, but nothing really bad happened in the end, right? I even helped you!"

But Rue shook his head. "You shouldn't have done that," he said, "and we were very lucky that we all made it out alive. I won't put you in danger. I _can't_, Elena, I…" The words caught in his throat.

Elena looked at him patiently, waiting for him to finish. Her eyes were so full of that utter innocence that made her both exasperating and remarkable, especially after all she'd experienced. Rue dreaded the day she lost that innocence…the day he would lose this girl who meant so much to him. She had no troubles, no worries - she was so utterly _free_, in a way Rue couldn't even imagine. She'd learn to worry someday, though. She'd learn. She _would_. She _had_ to. No one could stay a child forever. And when she did, she wouldn't be the same.

But everyone changes. Rue had changed a lot since he'd awoken in his tomb 11 years ago. Was it better to wait for the inevitable, or cherish what was in the present while it was here? And when the inevitable did happen, why should his feelings have to change? Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing.

Rue decided it was worth the risk.

"I love you, Elena," he said softly.

Elena's eyes widened. "Oh," she managed.

An awkward silence stretched between them…but slowly, it became less awkward. With the words finally spoken, as they looked into each other's eyes, something between them shifted. There was no going back now…and neither of them wanted to.

~o~

Rue had dinner with Klaus's family that night, as was becoming common for him. They had barely sat down, however, when Elena burst out with, "Rue says he can get Mint back!"

Not "Rue said he loves me." Not "Rue kissed me." Apparently, neither of those things were significant in her mind compared to the idea of Mint's return. Rue loved her utter innocence, but sometimes, it put him in _very_ uncomfortable situations.

Rue blinked. "Er…I, uh…I _can_," he said under the weight of everyone's gaze. "Ruenis says there's only one place left where it might be doable, but it's dangerous there…"

"Where?" asked Prima.

"Um…it's called Goldbeak Isle," Rue answered. "I didn't ask-"

"Goldbeak Isle?!" Klaus exclaimed, standing up abruptly. He had that wild look in his eyes that he got when pursuing a tremendous archeological breakthrough - one he hadn't had since he'd made his way through Ephlesia City.

"You've heard of it?" Rue asked, surprised. "I didn't recognize the name…"

Klaus paused a moment, then said, "Far south of any land inhabited by man, there's supposedly a large island called Goldbeak Isle. Not many people have been there, and of those few, less than a handful have made it back. What little accounts to be had of the place describe it as another world, where all of nature's laws behave differently." Klaus's eyes became distant, burning with the passion of a cherished dream. "I've always wondered if it really existed, and what it would be like there if it did. The possibilities of such a place would be endless…"

Mira cleared her throat loudly, bringing her husband back to the here and now. Klaus jumped, startled from his reverie, and refocused his gaze on his family, then Rue. "If you do go there, I'd love to go with you," he said.

Mira cleared her throat again, but amazingly, Klaus ignored her, instead staring fixedly at Rue.

Rue shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure I'm even going to try," he said; "apparently, a lot of other Dolls of Valen have tried to make their way there to bring Valen back and failed-"

"All the more reason we should go!" Klaus exclaimed, clearly excited out of his wits. "No one had ever made it through the ruins of Ephlesia City before us, and not even Grand Magician Elroy managed to unlock the seal of the lake ruins here by Carona - that was all us, too! If anyone can conquer Goldbeak Isle-!"

"Calm down, dear," Mira said firmly, putting a hand on Klaus's arm. "Think about what you're saying. Think about what _Rue's_ saying. You have a family to think of, and Rue…" She stopped, unwilling to place any responsibility on Rue that she didn't know he'd willingly claimed.

Rue, however, nodded in agreement. "I don't want to leave Elena," he said. "Besides, Ruenis is married to Claire now, and he'd have to leave her and come with us, too - I certainly wouldn't go alone, especially not if you were to come along, Doctor. We all have our lives here now; I'm not sure I'd be willing to risk losing it, or let anyone else risk losing it."

There was silence for a minute. The light in Klaus's eyes slowly faded as reason caught up with him.

Then Elena said, "But Mint doesn't have a life here anymore. Why should we get ours if she can't have hers?"

Discussion of the matter may have lasted many days into the future, but it was at that moment that the tide turned in favor of the journey.

Fate wasn't finished with them.


	2. Chapter 2

No boat or ship sailed to Goldbeak Isle. No one who owned any seafaring vessel housed far enough south to be of any practical use for reaching the island was even remotely willing to try. Legends of Goldbeak Isle were relatively commonplace so far south - that place isn't natural, everyone said, it's no place for any man to so much as near. Dolls of Valen, of course, had their ways, but only on their own, and Klaus would willingly have grabbed onto Rue or Ruenis's leg and held fast with an iron grip until they dragged him there, which was beyond impractical.

As a result, once the decision to brave the island had been finally made, what ensued was a rather longer and more complicated version of the events that transpired once the Prima Doll had first been readied to break the seal at the lake ruins of Carona - the means to get to the place had to be sought out, and weren't easy to come by. Not even for Klaus's new near-celebrity reputation was any seafarer willing to brave the island.

The matter of who would and would not go was no easy debate, either. Rue and Ruenis had to go, of course; Klaus adamantly refused to be left behind; Mira unhappily but willingly agreed to stay behind and keep up Klaus's business, which had all but exploded since the adventure in Ephlesia; Claire, much to Rue and Ruenis's relief, happily bowed out of participating; Prima argued that, being technically a creation of magic, he had a right to join the quest, but his parents disagreed; and Elena…

"I want to go with you," Elena whined for the hundredth time in half as many days.

"You can't," Rue told her firmly, for the same number of times.

It had been two months since that first dinner discussion. Rue and Elena had spent as much time together as they could manage, given that they might have to part any day, but Elena hadn't for one second stopped asking to join the adventure.

"_Please_?" Elena begged, her hands clasped in front of her face.

Rue sighed. They had this argument literally twice a day on average, and they couldn't afford to still be having it when they finally found a way to get to the island. He'd tried explaining to Elena why she couldn't come, to no fruition, and he was tired of it. "Elena," he asked instead, "what do you think it will be like there?"

Elena blinked, put off by this change in his answer. "Um…well, it's supposed to be a magical place, right?" she responded. "I expect it'll be kinda like Mel's place."

"You thought the same thing about the Ghost Temple," Rue reminded her, not at all surprised by her answer. "You couldn't have been more wrong about _that_. It was dangerous and scary, remember?"

"Well, yeah, but that's the Ghost Temple," Elena said with a dismissive laugh. "Goldbeak Isle sounds much prettier."

"It's _dangerous_, Elena," Rue said, utterly exasperated. "Even beautiful places can be dangerous. I've been to several."

"No one thinks Mel's place is fun except me," Elena pouted, in a tone that suggested she thought this was an argument against Rue's points. "Everyone says it's scary, that it gives them headaches, that they hate going there - but I love it! And I've never found it scary or head-achey. I think it's lovely there. I like playing with the Poppel Purrels, which everyone else hates, and I've never had anything but fun there."

"What does that have to do with Goldbeak Isle?" Rue asked tiredly.

Elena shrugged. "Everyone keeps saying that Goldbeak Isle is unnatural, that it's not right there, blah blah blah, same as everyone says Mel's place is wrong," she said. "They don't say it's dark or spooky, like the Ghost Temple, just that it's different and strange. As far as I can tell, 'different', 'strange', and 'wrong' are all words people use to describe places that are fun!"

Rue sighed heavily. "Elena, I love you," he said wearily, "but you have to just listen to me this once. _You can't go_. It's not safe, and I won't let you get hurt."

"And you think it won't hurt me to sit here and wait for you, not knowing anything about how you're doing or when or if you'll come back?" Elena asked pointedly. "I love you too, you know."

"I…" Rue faltered. She'd said it so casually, like it wasn't even a weird thing to say, though she'd never said it before. She'd never found it strange to hear him say it, either. It took him a minute to get past that to even consider what she'd said.

Elena's dark gray eyes lit up, apparently taking Rue's hesitation as a sign that he might be willing to let her join the party.

He shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "I'm sorry, I know you'll worry, and I'll miss you and worry about you too, but it's better for everyone if you stay behind."

"But-"

"No 'but's!" Rue all but snapped, completely at the end of his rope. "You're not going, Elena!"

Hurt welled in Elena's eyes. Rue felt horrible about it, as though he'd kicked a puppy, but even when she ran from the room, clearly struggling not to cry, he forced himself to let her go. It was better this way, for everyone. Even hurt, she'd be much better off here, where she'd be safe. He had no choice.

~o~

It's funny, how the threads of fate tie people together - whether the bond be by familial blood, land of origin…or mode of transportation.

After Rod had gotten a second set of five cannon orbs for the Pulsar-Inferno Typhoon Omega with Mint's help, he'd taken to much more extensive travel all over the world, being no longer limited to water travel. Any time his travels took him by Carona, though, he'd stop by to say hello to Rue and Klaus and the family. The dashing vagrant wouldn't admit it, but he'd found a home of sorts among his friends. So it wasn't too surprising when he stopped by one day as Rue and Klaus were trying to figure out some means of getting to Goldbeak Isle.

Prima Doll had been keeping an eye out for Rod's return every day for a while. He'd been a swordsmanship enthusiast since the trip to the Ephlesia City ruins, and now he could finally grow large enough to become a swordsman himself! Rod barely had time to touch down on the river by the town and bring the Pulsar-Inferno Typhoon Omega to a stop before Prima came running to the field.

"Rod! Rod!" he called, overflowing with energy.

"Hey, boy," Rod said over his shoulder, getting out of his vehicle and helping Johnny Wolf onto the ground. "Long time, no s-_whoa_!" As he turned around and caught sight of the now-older Prima Doll, he jumped with surprise.

"Look! Look! Isn't it great?!" Prima gushed, twirling with happiness. "Wylaf had a weak old [relic], and Fancy Mel did something with it to make it compatible with my system, so now I can grow up!"

"Well, how about that!" Rod exclaimed, smiling brightly. "That's great news, boy. Maybe someday I can show ya a thing or two about swordsmanship."

The words alone were Prima's most cherished dreams come true. "You mean it?!" he squeaked, bouncing with uncontainable excitement.

Rod chuckled. "Sure," he said. "First things first, though: I need to set up camp. I'll come see ya for dinner tonight, yeah?"

"Yeah!" Prima exclaimed, sprinting away to tell his family about Rod's offer. Rod couldn't help but smile as he watched the almost-boy go.

~o~

Rue still had dinner with Klaus's family even though he and Elena were fighting, if now because he and Klaus didn't tire of trying to find a way to Goldbeak Isle. So, though Ruenis was back with Claire just then, Rue was there when Rod came over and caught up with everyone.

Prima had been bouncy all day, telling everyone who would listen about how Rod was doing to teach him the art of swordsmanship. Klaus and Mira were, of course, rather concerned, but they trusted Rod almost like family, so they didn't panic just yet. Some stern yet subtle-enough-to-avoid-a-child's-notice exchanges were made between Rod and Mira over dinner regarding what Prima would and wouldn't be doing. Rod inquired after Claire and Ruenis, told Rue to offer them his congratulations on their marriage at the next opportunity, spent his almost-obligatory half an hour praising Mira's cooking, and finally the time came where Klaus and Rue explained the quest they were trying to undertake.

Rod gave a low whistle. "Goldbeak Isle," he repeated thoughtfully. "I've heard about that place…rumors here and there, really, nothing solid. Wasn't sure the place actually existed, to be honest."

"Well, it does," Rue sighed, "and absolutely no one will take us there."

"Couldn't you just, I don't know, fly there?" Rod asked. "Turn into a bird or something?"

"Ruenis and I could, but-"

"But they are _not_ leaving me behind," Klaus inserted firmly.

Rod raised an eyebrow at Klaus. "Didn't know you were so adventurous," he commented. "I mean, I know you love looking at old rocks, but I never knew you to be so enthusiastic about charging headfirst into dangerous waters."

Prima chuckled, and Klaus gave a sheepish smile. "Well, yeah, there's that," he admitted, "but it's just…it's _Goldbeak_ _Isle_! I can't not go! Besides, I…might be a little braver since Rue and Mint-" He stopped short at the mention of her name.

But Rod got the message, and nodded. "I understand," he said. He paused, apparently thinking, then added, "Well, if no one else will give you a ride…the Pulsar-Inferno Typhoon Omega is yours to charter."

Rue and Klaus looked up sharply, their eyes wide. "You'd take us there?" Rue asked, hardly daring to believe it.

Rod shrugged. "Sure," he said, and he smiled. "Mint's my friend too, and it'd be fun to go on one more adventure…go where no man has ever gone before…" A spark of adventurousness lit in his eyes at the thought.

Rue's head reeled. All the struggle, and he'd never thought to ask for Rod's help! How could this have not occurred to him?

"Of course," Rod added, "there are only two passenger seats."

"Well, like you said, Ruenis and I can fly there," Rue said, his pulse rising with excitement. "You'd only need to take Klaus-"

"And me!" Elena and Prima both exclaimed at the same time.

Surprise rendered the adults mute as Elena and Prima looked at each other.

"Why should _you_ go?" Prima demanded. "You're just a human girl! I have magic! They might need me!"

"Your magic isn't that useful, and I wanna _go_!" Elena whined. "It's not _fair_! You got to go to the fortress in the sky, mom's a swords-person, dad goes out chasing ruins, Rod goes _everywhere_ - what about _me_? I'm not a _baby_! I-"

"Elena, that's enough!" Mira said sharply.

Elena turned to her mother. "Mom," she began.

"_No_," Mira said sternly. "You're not going anywhere, Elena. It's not safe."

Rue expected Elena to make the same protests she'd been making to him for so long, but all she did was glare at her mother for a moment, then slump down in her chair and grumble to herself slightly.

Mira turned to Prima. "Prima…" She faltered. "I…you're not…"

"You might not be human," Klaus picked up gently, "but you are our son, and it's our job to make sure you're safe."

"Nothing can hurt me," Prima said proudly. "Being a doll does come in handy sometimes. And there might be a seal or something compatible with my systems."

Mira and Klaus looked at each other for a minute. Then, Mira sighed. "Alright," she conceded, "you can go…_if_," she turned to glare at Rod, "you promise to stay with Rod or Rue at all times, no matter what."

"Of course!" Prima chirped happily.

"_What_?!" Elena shrieked. "You're letting _him_ go without a fight, but not _me_?!"

Mira sighed, and Klaus said, "Honey, you're-"

"I'm not a _baby_!" Elena cried, " and so what if I'm a girl? Mint is, too, and so's mom! And you're human too, dad-!"

"Whoa, calm down," Rod said to Elena.

Elena turned to Rod. "Rod, please, won't you take me?" she begged, clasped hands in front of her face. "_Please_?!"

Rod shook his head. "That's not up to me," he told her; "I won't go against Madam's wishes. But I do respect the heart you have for adventure. Just think of this: You're young, with a long life ahead of you. This won't be your last chance to go on an adventure - you can even make your own chances once you're old enough."

Elena's gaze turned to the floor. "It's not fair," she mumbled.

"No, it's not," Rod agreed, "but sometimes, life deals us an unfair hand. When that happens, you just gotta deal with it."

Elena was silent for a minute, not looking at anyone. Then she stood up, still looking at the floor, sniffled, and took her plate to the kitchen, then went to her room, all without another word.

Rue watched her go, simultaneously sad and relieved that she'd finally seen sense. "Thank you," he told Rod.

Rod shrugged. "No problem," he said. "So, when do you wanna go?"

"Um." Rue looked at Klaus. "I'll…need to go get Ruenis. Maybe I should talk to Wylaf, too, see if he can give me another pair of wings."

Klaus nodded. "I'll get everything together," he said. "Don't take too long!"

"I won't," Rue said, and he smiled.

They finished dinner, then Rue hurried out and headed for Raging Mountain before the town gates closed for the night.

~o~

The sun had set by the time Rue reached Wylaf's perch atop Raging Mountain, but he wasn't worried about getting back into town. Wylaf wasn't flying high above the clouds as he normally was; instead, he was curled up on his peak, resting. He wasn't asleep when Rue reached him, though.

"SO," he said in his thundering voice as Rue approached, "YOU'VE RETURNED."

Rue blinked. "Were you waiting for me?" he asked.

Wylaf huffed. "I WAS WONDERING WHEN YOU WOULD SEEK TO UNDO YOUR ERROR," he stated. "YOU NEED MY WINGS ONCE MORE. YOU MAY HAVE THEM."

He stretched his neck and roared, and Rue felt a surge of energy pulse through the air and collect over his raised hand. Wylaf's essence sparkled in his palm, ready to be absorbed and used by his Dewstone.

"Um…thanks," Rue said, storing the energy. He turned away uncomfortably, Wylaf's offhand comment about his "error" hitting hard.

"I MEANT ONLY THAT YOU'VE BEEN TROUBLED ABOUT LEAVING MINT BEHIND, NOT THAT YOU ACTED WRONGLY," Wylaf said gently (for him). He was silent for a moment, no doubt reading Rue's mind in place of spoken words, then said, "GOLDBEAK ISLE IS A DANGEROUS PLACE. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD SAVE MY ESSENCE UNTIL YOU TRULY NEED IT AND USE SOME OTHER CREATURE'S FORM FOR YOUR JOURNEY."

Rue turned back to Wylaf abruptly. "You've been there?!" he exclaimed.

"Hurr, hurr, hurr, hurr, hurr!" Wylaf roared with his strange, low-pitched shriek of a laugh. "I HAVE LIVED OVER A THOUSAND YEARS. YOU THINK THERE IS ANY PLACE IN THIS WORLD I HAVE NOT SEEN?"

"Oh." Rue contemplated this. "Can you tell me anything about it?" he asked. "Anything I should know about what to watch out for?"

Wylaf craned his neck down so Rue could meet his flaming eyes. "GOLDBEAK ISLE IS A LAND OF CHANGE," he told Rue. "WHAT IS SO ONE DAY MAY NOT BE THE NEXT. THE CREATURES THERE ARE UNPREDICTABLE, AND NEVER CONSISTENT. THERE ARE FEW SAFE HAVENS ON THAT ISLE, BUT BEWARE THAT YOU MUST NOT BE CAUGHT OUTSIDE OF ONE AT NIGHT."

"Safe havens?" Rue repeated.

Wylaf nodded. "A FEW SPOTS ON THAT ISLE REMAIN UNCHANGED AS TIME PASSES, ISLANDS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT IN THAT LAND OF CHAOS." he explained. "THEY ARE RARELY OBVIOUS, MIND YOU - MOST ARE HIDDEN, UNDERGROUND SHELTERS WITH SMALL ENTRANCES THAT ARE HARD TO FIND. THERE ARE THREE EXCEPTIONS…BUT ONE DEPENDS; WHETHER IT IS THE TREE OR THE MUSHROOM DEPENDS ON WHICH IS SHELTERING A CHILD - THE PARENT IS HOSTILE, THE LONE HOUSE IS NOT."

"Wait, what?" Rue exclaimed. "I'm getting confused."

"YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU SEE THEM," Wylaf told him. "ALSO, BEWARE OF CREATURES OF RUBY EYES." He paused, as though thinking. "THAT IS ALL I CAN TELL YOU," he said at last. "IT WAS MANY CENTURIES AGO THAT I SAW THE LAND WITH MY OWN EYES; MUCH OF IT HAS FADED FROM MY MEMORY."

"No, it's fine, thank you!" Rue said quickly. "You've already told me a lot more than what we already knew."

Wylaf stretched his neck as high as it will go, giving him the appearance of looking out upon the entirety of the world, like a guardian deity. "I WILL AWAIT YOUR RETURN," he told Rue, "AND I HOPE YOU SUCCEED. DO BRING THE DAUGHTER OF THE AEON TO SEE ME WHEN SHE RETURNS, WON'T YOU?"

"Mint?" Rue nodded. "Yes. Of course. Thank you, Wylaf."

Wylaf nodded, and Rue left.

~o~

Climbing a tree near the Carona town wall as an Ootang, then changing to a Saber Tiger and leaping off the end of a branch, Rue was able to make it back into town even though the gates were sealed. As he landed on the cobblestones, he was surprised to see Elena still outside.

"Rue?" She approached him, smiling, by now accustomed to his transformations.

He changed, smiling back at her. "Hey," he said. "What are you doing out so late?"

"Waiting for you," Elena replied cheerfully. "How was Wylaf?"

"He gave me another pair of wings," Rue told Elena. "He suggested I save them, though…He said he's been to Goldbeak Isle."

"Really?" she squeaked. "No way! Fancy Mel's been there, too!"

Rue blinked. "She has?"

"Uh-huh!" Elena grinned. "I went to see her tonight while you were gone. She told me some things about Goldbeak Isle. Maybe I could help you…if you let me-"

"_No_," Rue said firmly.

Elena sighed, her face falling, but for a change, she didn't argue. "Mel said you'll probably want to head for the volcano at the center of the isle," she told Rue instead. "The access point is most likely there. There's an odd panel…" She trailed off and yawned.

"It's late," Rue said. "We should both be going to bed."

"You're leaving tomorrow, right?" Elena asked sadly.

Rue hesitated. He'd been planning to head out to see Claire and Ruenis first thing in the morning, but knowing that he wouldn't see Elena again for a while, especially since they'd just stopped fighting…"I don't have to go right away," he said. "How about, tomorrow morning, we go out to the lakeside for a little while?"

Elena's eyes lit up. "I'd like that," she said.

Rue smiled and nodded. "We'll plan on that, then," he said.

"Okay!" Elena said happily. "Good night, Rue."

He gave her a kiss. "Good night, Elena."


	3. Chapter 3

The sun was shining, the sky clear and blue with just a few puffy white clouds to complement it, as Elena and Rue set up a picnic by the lakeside. Neither of them could help looking out at the lake where, oddly enough, the old ruins still floated, now devoid of power.

"Are those going to just be there forever?" Elena wondered out loud as they laid out the last of the dishes.

"I guess so," Rue said, scooting over to sit beside her.

They sat together for a few minutes, their food attracting flies and neither of them really caring. A Pollywog floated along the shore, ignoring them. Rue smiled at the sight.

"Remember when you thought I was really a Pollywog?" he asked Elena fondly.

Elena blushed. "Yeah…it was kind of embarrassing," she said. "I mean, now that I know, the idea of a polly being a person and not the other way around just seems…silly."

"Maybe," Rue said, smiling, "but it was cute."

"Thanks…" she said halfheartedly.

He put his arm around her. "I don't think it was silly," he told her. "I mean, me being an ancient Aeon creation that can turn into a Pollywog isn't much less silly."

Elena said nothing for a little while. Then she said, "I've been wondering…could you have just, you know, made the fortress in the sky appear without Prima's help?"

Rue looked back at the ruins. "Prima was made to mimic me and other Dolls of Valen," he said. "I remember…when we finally brought Prima to the ruins, the incantation to break the seal just came to me, the same as it did him. So…yeah. I probably could have stood on the platform and broken the seal myself."

"So Prima only got to live because you didn't know," Elena said.

Rue blinked; he hadn't thought of it that way. Most of the time, he'd only thought about how inconvenient it was that he'd lost his memories when he was created…but she was right. If they had known they didn't need the Prima Doll, they never would have opened the box that held him and finished his assembly. "And after all the trouble we went to to get his parts, too," he mused out loud.

Elena giggled at that, and Rue couldn't help but join her. Then she said, "Well, I'm glad you didn't know. It's so much more fun having a little brother."

Rue looked at her, curious about her word choice. "What do you mean, 'more' fun?" he asked.

She met his eyes. "Well…it wasn't really until you and Mint came here that I realized it, but life here is really boring," she said. "Hardly any people live here, and most of the merchants who come and go aren't very fun. My only playmate was Marco, and he was great, but…well, he didn't like doing girl things. Prima doesn't really, either, not anymore."

She looked out at the lake again, her eyes going distant. "When you and Mint came…you weren't much older than me - or you didn't seem it - but you'd both done so much. You'd been all over the world, seen all kinds of amazing things and people. Dad had chased ruins all over the world, and mom was a great swords-person, before I was born, but they both settled down when they had me - mom gave up her career, and dad didn't go exploring much further than the forest anymore. It was quiet, and peaceful…but you and Mint, when you came, you brought so much to this town that I'd never even thought of before. And when we went to Ephlesia, and I got to go with you…" She trailed off. Rue was silent, taking in her words.

"I always looked up to Mint," Elena said at last, not finishing her earlier thought. "You could transform, so I always knew you weren't normal…" Rue couldn't help but flinch slightly at the words. "…but Mint was just a girl…just like me. Sure, she had her training in magic and stuff, but a lot of her strength had nothing to do with magic. She was so brave, so outgoing and adventurous…but she still appreciated the joys of simple things like shopping, too. She was amazing." Elena sighed. "But…she was never a girl just like me," she said sadly. "She was really an Aeon. It still feels weird, to think that…" She looked at Rue. "I know it's selfish," she said, "but I almost feel…I don't know…betrayed, I guess."

Rue processed her words for a few minutes, knowing he had to speak carefully. At last, he said, "People aren't always what they seem. It's not just Mint - most of the time, when you first get to know someone, there's still a lot you don't know, and they might turn out to be almost the opposite of what you thought. And when you find out…yeah, you feel betrayed. It's not selfish. It's normal." He sighed. "Life out in the world isn't just fun and adventure, Elena," he told her; "it's dangerous, and scary, and sometimes it can feel so overwhelming that you aren't sure you can go on. Even if you do go on, it changes you. Whether you're on a journey to find a [relic] and exploring wild and dangerous places, or just trying to start up a business in civilization, it's rarely fun, and people can be just as bad as monsters sometimes - worse, even - and you have to change to be able to handle it. It's…hard to explain. You can't really understand if you haven't done it."

"But I want to," Elena said. "I want to see things. Ever since I met you and Mint, this town has felt so small and empty. I know I can't go on a big, dangerous quest like what you and Mint have done, but…I'm just not happy here, living the quiet life - not anymore."

She had already started to change, Rue realized then. Even if you didn't go out into the world, sometimes the world came and found you.

Elena was silent, staring out pensively at the lake, the picnic long forgotten. Her mood was so somber, so un-Elena-like, that even taking into account the fact that she was growing up, Rue couldn't help but worry. He put a hand on her arm, trying to bring her back to the present. "Hey," he said gently. "Are you okay?"

She turned to him slowly. She hesitated, then whispered, "I don't want you to go."

"I have to," Rue said, sad but sure. "My sister's trapped, and I have to get her out. It's my fault…" He shook his head. "I have to," he repeated, more to himself than to his girlfriend.

"And your dad, too?" Elena asked softly.

Rue hesitated. "…I don't know," he admitted. "I don't know if there's some way to get Mint out but not Valen…but I'll try."

Elena sighed, her eyes somewhere far away. "Would it really be so bad if Valen came back?" she asked, surprising Rue. "I mean…I'm not sure what he'd do…"

"Whatever he'd do, it wouldn't be good," Rue said with certainty. "He'd have to take over someone's body just to live again, for a start, and that wouldn't be fair…"

"Couldn't he just make a new one, like he made you and Ruenis and Mint?" Elena asked.

Rue blinked. "I…don't know," he said. "I don't think so…Probably not. It didn't seem like that was an option when we broke the seal here…" But maybe Mint could, he realized. She was an Aeon, she could use the Dewprism or whatever strange powers she had to bring Valen back to life, the same as he'd revived Claire.

But would that be a good idea?

A few minutes passed. Then he said, "I hope we won't have to find out."

Elena nodded and said nothing more.

They stayed at the lakeside for another two hours, cherishing every moment they had left, talking only about more pleasant things or nothing at all. When a small family of Pollywogs came and stole the delicious picnic lunch Mira had made for them, they didn't even notice.

~o~

At last, it couldn't be put off any longer: Rue had to go. He kissed Elena goodbye, got on a ship, and went back to his old home. Between the ship and his powers, which he used once he reached land, it only took a few hours, but he took the time to think about Elena. How much could a person like her change? It had already begun…and would he still love her when it was over? Or would she still be his Elena, somehow? Not being human, his maturation was hardly something to use as an exemplar, and he just didn't know.

It was kind of scary.

He reached Claire's cabin after night fell. She was outside, having just finished tending to the animals; when she saw a Saber Tiger bounding through the forest, she wasn't even surprised. She smiled and waved, and Rue ran up to greet her.

"Hey, Rue," she said fondly. "I was wondering when you'd come. It's time for you and your brother to go, isn't it?"

Rue nodded. "Yeah," he said.

Claire nodded, still smiling, and turned back to her house. She was so peaceful, so accepting of life and its twists and turns…sometimes, it was hard to believe she'd picked up a hoe and whacked a strange, giant-handed monster in a futile attempt to protect Rue. "I'll go get him," she told Rue.

They had barely said hello, and already she was ready for him to leave. It was so abrupt, so brief, and after having thought so much in the past few hours, Rue felt a strange hurt take over him as he watched her turn away.

"Claire, wait," he called abruptly.

Claire stopped and turned back to him. "What's wrong?" she asked, concern in her brown eyes.

"I…" He hesitated, then sighed. "I don't want…to just be here to grab Ruenis and go," he told her. "I feel like we don't really spend time together anymore. Claire…you're still the only family I've ever really, truly had, and I…I miss you."

Claire nodded, softening. "I miss you, too," she said. "But I know you're moving on in life, to bigger and better things. It happens."

"Bigger, maybe," Rue said; "I don't know about better. Life was so nice, before…" _Before you died._ Something he still couldn't make himself say.

Claire walked back over to him, her smile fading, though not because of what he didn't say. "My life was lonely before the night I found you in the snow," she told him; "peaceful, yes, but lonely. Most of my family thought it was crazy for me, a city girl, to retreat into the woods and live alone." Rue blinked, surprised; Claire had never told him about her childhood, and her having been a 'city girl' was news to him (though it did explain her surprising collection of books). "I'd had too much of crowds and people," she went on, "and being able to hear myself think was so pleasant, I didn't really care what anyone thought. I didn't even realize I was lonely until I found you." She smiled. "Having you live with me…it wasn't stressful, like the crowds of the city. It was more like having a little brother around."

Rue laughed. "Funny, I always thought of you as being like my sister," he said.

Claire smiled again. "Yes, well…even when I found you, I didn't know what my life would turn into," she said. "I didn't know what you were, what you'd bring…but don't regret a single moment I spent with you, any of the choices I made."

"Not even…?" Rue couldn't say it, but she knew.

"Not even that," she said.

"Oh…" Rue didn't know what to say.

She sighed. "I love Ruenis, but…he's not the same," she admitted. "Sometimes, I still feel like I'm holding his hand while he figures out how to live as a person. Maybe I always will. I don't mind. But Rue, you…" She paused, apparently searching for the right words. "You don't…_need_ me, anymore," she said at last. "You'll always be family, and you'll always be welcome here, but there's no need to feel bad about making your own way in life. As long as you're living life the way you want to, I can rest easy and be happy, knowing that you are, too."

"Claire…" Rue tried to hold back his tears, but he couldn't. He turned away, wiping his eyes, trying to get ahold of himself, trying to find words that could match hers. Though he'd learned through hardship how much he loved this woman who had given him a place in the world when he'd had none, he'd never fully realized just how loved he was in return.

"It's okay, Rue," Claire said gently. She gave him a minute, then said, "I'll go tell Ruenis you're here." She started to walk away.

Rue turned. "Wait," he said.

She stopped and looked back.

Rue searched for words, but still came up empty. All he could manage was to lamely say, "Rod told me to offer his congratulations to you and Ruenis."

Claire smiled. "Tell him thank you for me," she said, and she went inside.

Rue stood where he was, wrestling with his emotions. He couldn't afford to be in a state like this when Ruenis came out. Ironically, if there was one person he knew wouldn't understand, it was his brother.

~o~

When Rue told Ruenis that the means to get to Goldbeak Isle were already lined up, his brother wanted to waste no time. He bid Claire an affectionate farewell, then set out for Carona, and Rue barely managed to gather his wits in time to be right behind him. Really, he shouldn't have been surprised - unlike him, Ruenis had been born with his urge to free Valen, and though he'd overcome it to be with Claire, it was still there.

It was evening of the next day by the time Rue and Ruenis got back to Carona. Rod already had the Pulsar-Inferno Typhoon Omega set up and ready to go, and Klaus was packed and waiting. Rue tried to say goodbye to Elena, but he couldn't find her. Giving up and deciding it was probably for the best, he saw Klaus and Prima Doll onto Rod's ride. Prima had been in it once before, but Klaus, though he knew Rod well, had never seen it, and was all but fascinated, muttering something about its design to himself before he even managed to climb in.

The plan was simple: Rod would take to the skies in the Pulsar-Inferno Typhoon Omega and fly to the southernmost shore. There wasn't a creature alive that Rue and Ruenis could transform into that could match the Pulsar-Inferno Typhoon Omega in the air, so Rod would wait for them to catch up once he landed in the southern sea. After they regrouped, they would all go to Goldbeak Isle together, Rue and Ruenis flanking the Pulsar-Inferno Typhoon Omega - which would _not_ be going at its top speed at that point - just to be safe.

After they'd gone over it one last time, Rue and Ruenis transformed, Rod started up his vehicle of an absurdly long name, and Mira watched them fly away.


End file.
